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Can I return it? Return rights in the EU and Switzerland

General information, not legal advice. Published 21 October 2026.

"I changed my mind" is sometimes a legal right and sometimes only a shop's goodwill. It depends on where and how you bought.

Do I have 14 days to return something I bought online in the EU?

Yes, in most cases. The EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU, Art. 9) gives you 14 days to withdraw from a distance contract (online, phone, mail order) or an off-premises contract (for example a doorstep sale). You don't have to give a reason.

For goods, the 14 days start when you (or someone you name, not the courier) physically receive them; for split deliveries, when the last parcel arrives. For services, it starts on the day you sign up. A deadline on a non-working day moves to the next working day.

It only covers purchases from businesses, not from private sellers.

What if the shop never told me about the 14 days?

Then the period gets much longer. If the trader didn't tell you about your withdrawal right, it runs for an extra 12 months after the normal 14 days end (Art. 10). If they tell you during that time, you get 14 days from when you were told.

Who pays for the return, and when do I get my money?

Under rules applying from 19 June 2026, EU online shops must also offer a clearly labelled withdrawal function (wording like "withdraw from contract here") so you can withdraw as easily as you ordered (new Art. 11a, added by Directive (EU) 2023/2673).

What can't be returned under the 14-day rule?

The main exceptions (Art. 16) include:

Can I return something I bought in a shop in the EU?

Not by law, if it isn't faulty. The 14-day right covers only distance and off-premises contracts. If you bought it in the shop, a refund for a change of mind depends on the shop's own returns policy.

Do I have a right to return online purchases in Switzerland?

No. Switzerland has no general right to withdraw from an online purchase. A shop can offer one voluntarily, and then it must state the conditions. Members of the retail association Handelsverband.swiss commit to a 14-day return right under its code of ethics, but that only binds members.

There is a narrow Swiss right to revoke (Art. 40a ff. CO). It applies to deals proposed to you at home or at work, on public transport or in the street, at promotional excursions, or by telephone. It covers personal purchases over CHF 100 from a business, and you get 14 days. It doesn't apply if you asked for the negotiations yourself, or if you bought at a market or trade-fair stand.

Can I return something I bought in a Swiss shop?

Only if the shop agrees. There's no legal right to return or exchange goods that aren't faulty. Many shops offer it anyway, and once promised (on the receipt, in their terms or in store) they must keep it on the stated conditions, such as a time limit, tags on, or a voucher instead of cash. Keep the receipt.

What if it's faulty?

That's the legal warranty, a separate right (see our Swiss warranty guide). In the EU it lasts at least two years, and returning a faulty item is at the trader's cost.

How StuffWatch helps

Scan the receipt and StuffWatch saves the purchase and its return deadline. You can enter the deadline yourself if the shop's policy differs. The daily reminder email warns you 7 days and 2 days before the deadline, so the window doesn't close without you noticing. It also tracks the warranty end date and checks your things against official recalls (CPSC, Health Canada, UK OPSS, EU Safety Gate). StuffWatch reminds you of the dates. It can't tell you whether a particular shop has to take something back.

Start free at stuffwatch.app

Sources

All opened 21 Oct 2026